During the early 1980s, the South African Air Force (SAAF) was looking for a replacement for its aging Cheetah fleet, which was a locally upgraded version of the French Mirage III. The Cheetahs were subject to an arms embargo due to the apartheid regime, which limited their availability and effectiveness. In 1999, after a long and controversial procurement process, South Africa signed a contract with Saab for 26 Gripens (17 JAS39C and 9 JAS39D), becoming the first export customer of the type. The delivery of the South African Gripens started in 2008 and was completed in 2012. Since then, the South African Gripens have been involved in several operations, both at home and abroad. In 2010, they secured the airspace during the FIFA World Cup hosted by South Africa. In 2013, they provided air support for South African peacekeepers in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and also participated in the funeral of Nelson Mandela, the former president and anti-apartheid leader. However, the South African Gripens have faced some challenges in their service, such as budget constraints, maintenance issues, and political controversies. Due to the high cost of operating the jets, the SAAF has limited their flying hours and reduced their operational readiness. The SAAF has also struggled to maintain the jets' spare parts and technical support, which have been affected by the corruption allegations against Saab. Furthermore, the Gripen deal has been criticized by some sectors of society as unnecessary and wasteful, especially in light of the country's social and economic problems. These issues became more evident when South Africa had to ground its fleet of Gripens in September 2021 due to budget cuts and maintenance problems, which led to concerns about the country's air defense capabilities.

The JAS39C (Great Britain) was introduced in Update "Air Superiority". As the first South African jet in the tree, it proves worthy of its place due to its exceptional flight performance and loadout capabilities. It has a high-performance engine and a high thrust-to-weight ratio, which gives it excellent acceleration and climb rate, as well as superb agility and energy retention. It can also carry a variety of weapons for all kinds of situations, including guided bombs, AGM-65 Mavericks, active radar homing R-Darter and IR AIM-9M missiles. It's downsides are few, but noticeable: it's mainly a dogfighter and taking too much weight will nullify its strengths, and its radar, while practically inescapable, has poor accuracy.